In a more than 40 years unchanged apartment in Berlin I have taken a booklet with area codes. Actually I wanted to look up an area code, when I was captured by the back cover's headline which told me to build up stocks for fourteen days in case of a disruption of food and drinking water supply.

In the first column in the table below examples are listed for preserved goods, milk and fats, dry foods and others, in the next column the recommended amount based on a need for 2000 kilocalorie and last the time of storage accordant to the recommendation of Federal Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry.

Furthermore it continues that I should stock up 2 liters of liquids per day and person for 14 days, what would have been 84 liters overall for my three person household.

Telefonbuch der Vorwahlen (1992)

When lost in thoughts I stacked bottle crates soon I piled up tinned tuna and cans of meat next to cartons of concentrated milk, packets of sugar, salt and coffee, I savored my unease until I remebered that I had seen such a stuffed basement in my childhood.Already suspected to be taken in by a spook I hurried to scan the next headlines like tips for stocking, lighting, emergency luggage, document safety and self-protection training. German Association of self-protection stood above all as source of information with important advices for prevention and self-help. In addition, Iwas asked toscroll backtothe previous pagein ordernot to miss thebeginning.

Telefonbuch der Vorwahlen vom 1.1.1996

Immediately it occurred to me, as I had seen it all before and found it was too important to discard, what had been distributed there in 1992 to german households with the help of a supplement to the phonebook with national and international dialing codes.Under the heading "siren signals" signals were described "for the hopefully never occurring case of defense that despite all the efforts for peace, unfortunately, could not be completely excluded, for fire alarm, air raid warning, CBRN alarm and all-clear.Yes, I was shocked and kept the next edition of area codes listing published by Deutsche Telekom on First January 1996. Here on the back there are the extension numbers of the German Weather Service in front of pink sky with magenta wisps.

Conclusion: Pink revision of the AVON and clear from the Cold War since 1996.

As part of the exhibition "Wilhelm Beuermann - Bilder aus fünf Jahrzehnten" (pictures from five decades) in the municipal gallery Kubus in Hannover, Germany last year a catalogue of his work has been published.

Beside oil paintings from my father`s estate it also contains the most extensive collection of poems so far and excerpts of the artist`s diary.

The book can be ordered directly from me. Hardcover, EUR 60,- incl. VAT plus shipping.
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